Your Three-Point Checklist for Choosing an AI Partner

Choosing an AI partner is a high-stakes decision. In 2025, AI will be the single-largest technology spending budget line item for 44 percent of companies, according to the latest CNBC Technology Executive Council survey. Your choice of an AI partner will dictate whether your business sees a return on investment or faces a costly failure. The ‘right’ AI partner will meet three essential criteria—here’s the checklist:

1. Domain Knowledge

A good AI partner possesses at least basic domain knowledge—an understanding of the environment in which your business operates. They are well-versed in the regulations, standards, and market dynamics specific to your industry, region, and business model. They stay current on the latest AI developments in your domain and may have even contributed to some recent advancements.

More importantly, the right AI partner uses this domain knowledge to accurately assess your business needs and identify the most effective ways to address them. 

Tip: ask potential AI partners if they have worked in your industry before and with what companies so you can assess their domain knowledge.

2. The Right AI Expertise

Your business needs an AI partner to help achieve a specific goal—whether that goal is solving a problem, meeting a need, crafting a strategy, or something else entirely. AI is a field of computer science concerned with getting machines to perform tasks we typically associate with human intelligence. It’s also a catchall term for those ‘smart’ machines. The right AI partner is not just an ‘AI’ generalist; they specialize in the specific AI sub-fields relevant to the goal your business wants to achieve.

So, how do you ensure that your potential AI partner specializes in the AI field that your business needs?  

Tip: ask potential AI partners what types of AI technologies they have used and built for their clients– machine vision, LLMs, etc.  Also, ask them how they decide what technology to use to solve their clients’ challenges.  You are looking for an AI partner who has experience designing a strategy to solve business needs as well as building an AI solution, not someone who will just sell you something they’ve built for another client.

3. Business Know-How

While AI is rooted in computer science, the best AI partner for your business isn’t the one with the most computer scientists. Choosing an AI partner is like hiring a team to build a house—you need a variety of roles, including engineers, designers, and project managers, to ensure the final product is functional, attractive, and tailored to your needs and budget. Similarly, the right AI partner brings multidisciplinary talent to the table; they combine technical expertise with design thinking, strategic planning, and project management to meet your business needs.

Tip: ask potential AI partners what business and non-technical experience their team has so you can assess whether they will have the business expertise you need to understand what you are trying to achieve. 

Key Takeaways 

Choosing an AI partner is a high-stakes decision, and there is certainly a right and wrong answer. Look for domain knowledge, a variety of AI expertise, and business savvy to ensure you make the best choice. Remember, the right AI partner isn’t just a vendor—they’re an ally committed to helping your business achieve its goals.

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Image by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash

About Synaptiq

Synaptiq is an AI and data science consultancy based in Portland, Oregon. We collaborate with our clients to develop human-centered products and solutions. We uphold a strong commitment to ethics and innovation. 

Contact us if you have a problem to solve, a process to refine, or a question to ask.

You can learn more about our story through our past projects, blog, or podcast.